Please recommend old roundwound strings for 60s type P-Bass?

[FRoss6788]

I can be a little nit-picky about certain things.

That is why I value your input on string discussions, even though I'm more a DR guy and you seem to be a fan of GHS....

 

[michael_t]

That is why I value your input on string discussions, even though I'm more a DR guy and you seem to be a fan of GHS....

Surprisingly enough, none of my five basses are wearing strings with the GHS name on them right now. And only one with DR.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I love P Basses and am going to get a Classic Vibe 60s P Bass soon again. I'd love to put Flatwounds on it but I also do love the sound of old Roundwounds.

What are your experiences for great roundwound strings that sound awesome when they are old on an 60s type Precision bass?

I’ve been playing round wound on PB for almost a half a century. Mostly I’ve been covering Motown, Stax and Muscle Shoals music. Generally speaking I replace my strings after roughly every 100 hours of play, more often if gigging a lot.

After all these years, thousands of gigs, hundred of recording sessions, I have never has a complaint or even a suggestion from band mates, sound technician, sound engineer, or a producer that my strings were too bright. With Fender PBs, JBs, and PBjs, I play with all volume and tone controls wide open. My amp are always set to flat with a slight boost at 165hz. Sometimes when strings are new, I’ll roll off some treble on the bass until they mellow out a bit.

What I find with old strings, when they are past their prime, intonation becomes an issue and dead spots are noticeable. But since you asked, DR Lo Riders and GHS Bass Boomers are both good choices. They both have a long life.

 

[faulknersj]

Imho, every P Bass (and bass for that matter) is different so it is best once you obtain yours to identify what you want from it. Do you want a little more top end (steels) or a warmer sound (nickels) etc.

 

[Yahboy]

Seems to have a little less mids than the original one here. But also the original one has other strings, so it's hard to compare.

But I am talking about a 60s style P Bass - means rather dark and warm sounding, not a 70s style with snappy maple fingerboard but Rosewood and the like. (I played some Classic Vibe 60s P basses in the past and the pickups go in the same direction as other 60s vintage style P Bass pickpus.) I think you know what I mean.

You can start with 12K overwound pickups, real usage 7250/7150 45-105 (not eucerin cream treatment ) which already has less bouncing condition and .68uf cap to taste.

Suggest 12K wound because i experience myself she has less top on both DG string compare to std 10.6K wound pickups when wide open tone knob. We need better string to string tonal balance instead bright DG and deep EA voice on Split 60s P pickup design.

You need time and money spend on bass string journey like most of us to find out the sound you looking for.

Hope help.

 

[blr2]

In this thread it's not about getting the original old 60s P Bass tone. I am asking what experiences people made with old Roundwounds on 60s style P Basses (meaning not 70s, not 50s, 60s style) and which ones they like on their 60s style P basses and why.

Apparently, there was a slight confusion here. Actually, I'm not sure what a "60's style" P bass is. Sure, there are some reissues, but they don't mean much to me. Apart from some specs (neck profile, fret size etc.) and color schemes, how close they reproduce the sound? How the sound differ from just a contemporary P-bass that is not marketed as a 60's or whatever?
Squier is another story yet. CV's are decent instruments for sure (still regretting selling my Chinese-made 2009 CV), but they are not Fenders, much less vintage Fenders.
So, at the end of this lengthy discussion, I'm not quite sure what the question is/was.
If the question is about dead rounds, IMO any roundwounds would do. They all sound like... erm dead, needing replacement.

 

[mikewalker]

Rounds on a 60s P-bass???
Maybe an expert can weigh in... (jump to about 4:30 if yer short on time)

 

[Yahboy]

I got Fender Flats on my Jazz Bass and like them quite a bit. But I want to put La Bellas on the P Bass or maybe Roundwounds and let them die.

In this thread it's not about getting the original old 60s P Bass tone. I am asking what experiences people made with old Roundwounds on 60s style P Basses (meaning not 70s, not 50s, 60s style) and which ones they like on their 60s style P basses and why.

I believe you already edit your early question.

I recall you are not asking like what you are writing now.

I am out....

 

[Matt O]

Rounds on a 60s P-bass???
Maybe an expert can weigh in... (jump to about 4:30 if yer short on time)

Clearly, the secret to his tone is the Cosby sweater.

 

[Geogio]

Historically, the first roundwound bass strings were Rotosound RS66 that first appear in 1966. I don't know how close today's RS66s are in terms of sound and construction, but if you're looking for a historical reference, that's your best bet. Besides, RS66 sound killer on a P.

Were they called 66's? I remember "swing bass" or something like that from Rotosounds.

 

[pbass2]

These haven't been in production in well over a decade, probably more. Even if you manage to find a set, they'll be dead.

I used to use these religiously.

 

[tpaul]

Load that P-bass with Thomastik JAZZ ROUNDS.
They start out mellow, and will progress accordingly... plus they are THE BEST FEELING ROUNDWOUNDS EVER MADE!

This

 

[tpaul]

Where can we find them? I mean those specific ones in that package?

I have a few unopened sets for sale in the TB classifieds. PM me if interested.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Please recommend old roundwound strings for 60s type P-Bass?

My recommendation; Rotosound Nickles - they are often overlooked. They mellow out pretty nicely.
60s? Late 60s...

 

[60bass]

For the classic P bass rock sound of the late 60's through the 80's and even nowadays. The choice is easy.
RotoSound RS66 Swing Bass.

 

[Rib 13]

I'm no help.......when roundwounds barely start to lose a little life, off they go.....even on my P basses

 

[invalidprotocol]

DR Pure Blues sound great on an P bass and age well.

 

[jtg]

Another vote for ghs boomers here. I forgot about them for a long time chasing the tone de jour. I put a set on my yamaha pj a couple of years ago and haven't worried about them since. Thick, centered meat and potatoes tone and enough tension to resonate the bass. Haven't tried rotos in decades now. Maybe they're great too.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

If by "old" you mean strings with a warm/mellow/fat tone I would recommend Pyramid Pure Nickels. They need a couple of weeks, or maybe even months of playing before they develop their signature tone but once they're broken in they are the warmest, fattest sounding roundwounds you will ever find, and they only get better with age. The warm, mellow pure nickel tone isn't for everyone but if you like fat, warm sounding roundwounds the Pyramid Pure Nickels are hard to beat. They are by far the best pure nickel roundwounds out there IMO.

Roto 66s can be great for a warm tone too. This may seem a bit counter-intuitive because they're stainless steel and ULTRA-bright when fresh. But play them for a couple of weeks/months. They will mellow out and develop some of the fattest mids you'll ever find. A very unique "warm yet aggressive" kinda tone.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

"Old" as in how old?

Here are a couple of them I've liked in the past on my P bass for their "well broken-in" tone...

GHS Balanced Nickels (pure nickel roundwound on a round core).
DR Nickel Lo-Riders (nickel-plated steel roundwound on a hex core).

I have to ask: Are the GHS Balanced Nickels REALLY pure nickel? They sound more like a nickel/nickel plated steel hybrid to me. Not as bright as nickel plated steel but they don't really sound like pure nickel either IMO. There's this "shimmer" in the highs that I've never heard in other pure nickels strings but is typical for nickel plated steel. The mids also sound very different to my idea of a pure nickel tone. I know GHS call these strings pure nickel but I find that very hard to believe???

They're very nice strings though. The round core make them a little too supple for my taste for playing live (where I often like to dig in hard) but I often use them for recording. My only criticism is that they do NOT age well. GHS Balanced Nickels are at their best when they're close to new IMO, and then they start a decline towards a rather dull/"dead" tone.